Bomb-lance



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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EBEN PIERCE, OF NEV BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOMB-LANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,393, dated June 16y1885.

Application filed March 24, 1885. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it. vlrnown that I, EBEN PIERCE, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at New Bedford, in the county ot' Bristol, State ot'Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improve- Inents inBomb-Lances, ot which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of bomblanees for destroying whalesand other animals, exemplitied by my Patent No. 211,7787 dated January28, 1877, and in which an explosive charge contained in a propermagazine is tired by a fulminate-cap exploded by ahammer or plungerbrought into action by the ooncussion caused by the `discharge ot' thegun used for throwing the bomb-lance.

The object of my invention is to provide simple and et't'ectivemeans forinsuring a reguA lar ignition and burning ofthe iuse which lires theexplosive charge, for preventing a premamature explosion ot' theboInb-lance, or its explosion before the time predetermined upon.

Another object of the invention is to cause the fulminatecap to ignitethe fuse with certainty and precision by providing Ineans for escape ofthe gases generated by the tiring of the i'ulminate, and also preventingall liability ofthe cap nipple or tube from being battered out of shapeby the hammer, which is liable to occur in bomb-lances heretoforedevised, by reason ot' the direct connection of the cap-nipple with thefuse-tube and the mere provision of a very small orifice for the escapeof the gases produced by the explosion of the fulminate.

In the present invention the cap or fulminate-nipple has no connectionwith the fusetube, and the fuse itself terminates in a space formed inthe plug which carries the cap-nipple, the latter being supported insuch a manner that a firm hearing is formed for preventing it from beingbattered by the plunger or hammer, thus removing all liability ot' thegasescape oriice closing and preventing the fuse from being unevenly orirregularly ignited, or not ignited at all, by reason of the completeclosing of the gasescape and vent orifices.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation ot' a bomb-lanceof the type in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview representing my improved fuse supporting and tiring devices. Fig. 3shows detailed sectional views ot' the screw-plug, fuse tube,andindependent fulminatecap tube. Fig/1 is a detail view ot' the hammer orplunger for exploding the cap. p

The reference numeral l designates the barrel or magazine ot' abomlrlance, which con tains a charge ot' powder or other explosivematerial. The magazineichamber is closed at one end by means ot' acylindrical plug, 2, which has a continuous screw-thread engaging withan interior screw-thread in the magazine and with asimilar screw-threadoi a hollow extension, 3, ot' the lance or harpoon head 4. 'lhe rear endol' the magazine is closed by means ot'a screw-plug, 5, which isextended to form a hollow stem, (5, to give the lance the requisitelength. The stem 7 has a disk, S, at its rear end, i'or properly packingthe lance in the gun-barrel,am1 said stem is also provided with wings orfeathers 9, i'or insuring an accurate liight ot the lance. The plug 2has an aperture, 10, extending axially through the same, and its frontend is provided with slots 1l, which intersect 0r communicate with saidaxial bore, as is clearly shown in Fie. 3. A tube, l2, extending fromthe rear end of the plug 2, serves for the reception of a fuse, 13,which is otl suoli a nature and is so disposed as to effect a tiring ofthe charge in the magazine when said fuse has burned to its rear end.rlhe tube 12 is screw-threaded at its front end, and enters ascrew-threaded portion of the axial bore 10 to such an extent as willleave the remainder ot' said bore free for the reception ot the fuse andthe tube-extension lei of the nipple 15. The latter has a iiange, 16, atits base, which rests upon the front end of the head 2, a wire or othersuitable device serving to hold the nipple and the cap placed thereon inposition, as is indicated in Fig. 2. The tube-extension ot' the nippleenters the axial bore of the plug, and is made sufficiently smaller thansaid bore so as to leave an annular space which communicates with theslots 1l. It is evident that by such arrangement a large vent-passage isformed, which is always open, and will effectua-ll y serve to convey thegases caused by the explosion of the cap from the bore of the plugoutward into the point 4. r1 he cap is exploded by means of a plunger orhammer, 17, which is held at the front of the hollow extension of thelance-head by 'means of a break-pin, 18. WhenY the lance is tired from agun, the concussion will cause said pin to break, thus throwing thehammer upon the cap placed on the nipple and igniting the fuse. It isevident that by reason of said fuse not being inclosed at its front endthat an absolute and even ignition always takes place, and since thecapnipple and its tube-extension form no part of the fuse-tube, but aresupported upon n the plug 2 in the manner already stated, it will beseen that I obviate all danger or liability of the ignition andcombustion of the fuse being irregular or out of time. For these reasonsthe explosion ot' the charge in the magazine takes place at the timepredetermined upon, according to the length or nature ofthe fuse. Thelatter is secured by means ot a wrappin g, 36, of twine, wire, or othersuitable material, which lies in a segmental slot, 20, inside near theinner end or" the fuse-tube, a suitable coating ot' wax or othermaterial being applied to the wrapping for tightening the same andcausing the lire ot' the fuse to pass beyond the fusetube in order toconsume the projecting portion of the fuse.

I have shown the nipple as constructed to receive a gun-cap for ignitingthe fuse, but I intend tovalso use what is termed a primer for thispurpose, and where a primer is employed the nipple will be constructedin a manner suitable to receive it. The cap is held upon the nipple toprevent accidental displacement by means ot' a wire which passes overthe head ofthe cap and has its ends secured to the trout closing-plug.

' lVhat I claim is- 1. The combination, with the magazine ot' abomb-lance, of the front closing-plug having an axial bore and providedin its outer end with'lateral slots or openings intersecting said lbore, the independent nipple arranged iu and of a less diameter thansaid bore and seated upon and supported by the outer end of the frontclosing-plug, and the fuse-tube extending from therear end of said plug,substantially as described. v

2. The combination, with the magazine of a bomb-lance, of the frontclosing-plug having an axial bore and provide-d in its outer end withlateral slots or openings intersecting said bore, the nipple havin g atube-extension and provided with a horizontal flange seated upon andsupported by the outer end of the plug.

3. The combination, with the magazine of a bomb-lance, of a frontclosing-plug having au a-xial bore and slots intersecting the upper endthereof, an independent nipple having a tubular end extending within thebore ot the plug and provided with an annular liange that rests upon theend ot' the plug above its slots, and a wire for contining the cap onthe nipple, substantially as described.y

4. In a bomblance, the combination of the plug having an axial bore andopenings communicating therewith, theindependent nippletube supportedupon the front end of said plug, and the fuse-tube extending from therear end ot said plug with the magazine, the lance-head, aud the plungeror hammer, substantially Vas described.

5. In a bomb-lance, the combination ot' the nipple, the plug having theaxial bore, and the i'usetube with the Wire t'or holding the cap on thenipple, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EBEN PIERCE.

Witnesses:

JAMES L. NoRRrs, J. A. RUTHERFORD.

